Discover local culture by attending events and festivals throughout Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus. Shop for traditional Ukrainian handicrafts at the “Sorochinsky Fair”, marvel in the performing arts at St. Petersburg’s “White Nights Festival”, enjoy Moldovan wines and liquors at Chisinau’s “Wine Day”, revel in food, wine, folk song and...

Religion in Belarus is predominantly split between two Christian denominations, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic. While the Belarusian Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church account for roughly 94 percent of those who profess a religious faith (80% and 14% respectively), there are remnants of the the Protestant Church, Islam and Judaism as well. According to...

Religion has played a very important role in the evolution of Russian culture. Traditional religions, those deemed part of Russia’s “historical heritage”, include Orthodox Christianity (63% of the population), Islam (6% of the population), Buddhism...

Religion in Ukraine has a somewhat different “mix” of faiths as compared to religion in Russia. Although the region was once home to rather large Muslim and Jewish communities, Islam and Judaism have diminished significantly from their historic heights. Ukraine, unlike Russia, is predominately Christian, with greater than 90% of religiously active...

Foreigners are often unfamiliar with Russian and Ukrainian architecture. Most everyone knows about the onion domed cathedrals and the dull and dreary construction from the Soviet era, but little else. The truth is, Russia and Ukraine have gone through many periods of architectural development, from wooden-vernacular architecture that predates Kiev Rus’, to...

Every culture has its unique etiquette and customs. For the most part (with slight variations from country to country – region to region), Russia, Ukraine and other post-Soviet nations all share similar “rules” of social behavior. First time visitors to Russia and Ukraine are often pleasantly surprised, sometimes confused, and in certain cases,...